University of Oregon students prepare for another term online after the university announced it will offer almost entirely remote instruction for fall term on Aug. 26.
While the school will continue to offer some in-person studio classes and labs, the majority of classes have moved online.
A number of students at UO were not surprised by the shift to remote instruction. Hannah Seibold, a sophomore studying journalism, said she already signed up for primarily online classes when course registration began at the beginning of the summer.
Seibold said she understood the university’s decision to move classes online. “I think remote instruction was necessary because COVID is very real,” she said.
Jillian Hunter, a linguistics major, shared a similar sentiment. “I kind of knew it would be coming,” Hunter, who is also a sophomore, said. “I do think it’s the best decision to keep everyone safe and healthy.”
As the first day of classes grows closer, Hunter said she hopes there will be better organization and training for professors to prepare for the online format. “It was messy last spring to say the least,” she said. “I am sure professors are just as frustrated as we are, so it’s hard to find a middle ground for both parties.”
Hunter said online instruction has its advantages and disadvantages. “As a student with bad social anxiety, it’s been a benefit and a drawback being online,” Hunter said. “I don’t have to sit in a room surrounded by people and feel claustrophobic, but it’s hard to get a word in on Zoom. It’s very give and take in that sense.”
For many incoming freshmen, online instruction is new, unfamiliar territory. Hannah Rosenfeld, a biology major, shared concern about remote learning.
“I love being in the classroom and being able to interact with the teachers and see everything that’s going on,” Rosenfeld said. “It’s going to be really different over Zoom.”
Rosenfeld decided to move into the residence halls for the freshman dorm experience, but said she is worried about meeting and interacting with other students through online classes.
“When you are in [an in-person] class you can meet the people in your class, but I’m not sure how that will work out,” Rosenfeld said. “I don’t know how it will work with seeing friends or anything because I feel like I am just going to end up being in my dorm all day just doing work.”
In response to the university’s announcement, students are finding ways to prepare for the upcoming term online.
Seibold says she is trying to stay optimistic for the fall term and has designated a space for her work. “I’m making sure that my space is comfortable,” she said. “I think what anyone can do is make your space enjoyable because you’re going to be in it a lot.”
Noah Villanueva, a sophomore English major, said he is trying to develop new study habits. “Looking at a screen all day long isn’t ideal nor healthy, so I am working on ways to involve physical activity breaks to keep myself in a right mental headspace to be able to succeed to my full ability this academic year,” he said.
Other students are anticipating a surge in COVID-19 cases as students return to Eugene. Hunter said she and her roommate have stocked up on frozen food for the first few weeks of the term. “We are going to hunker down in our apartment for two weeks,” she said.
The shift to online instruction has left many students concerned about issues like tuition costs.
UOs recent increase in tuition has inspired frustration among students who don’t think they should be paying the same tuition for online classes.
After the university released billing statements to students, advertising major Evan Harvey said he noticed an increase in the cost of tuition. “I just noticed how it matched the amount I had a couple terms back when I was doing 17 credits a term, and now I am only taking 12 credits this upcoming fall term,” Harvey, who is a junior, said.
Villanueva said he was also upset with the tuition price and felt that the university was not listening to its students who have been voicing their concerns for the fall.
“As an out-of-state student, I considered staying home and doing work online, but realized it’s not fair that I have to pay so much money to look at my laptop screen while the university can charge me for multiple fees and facilities I would not be using,” Villanueva said.
While many students are worried about the upcoming term, they are also finding ways to stay positive and find the good in such a difficult time.
Harvey said he is glad the university is providing online resources to its students and requiring masks on campus. “I think the decision to go online is looking into our students safety,” he said, “and I think it’s going to be a great idea.”
Despite the challenges college students faced this year, Villanueva said he also recognizes there is a collective feeling that comes from the current moment. “We’re all going through this hard time together, but it affects us in various different ways as individuals,” he said, “and we should do our best to make sure our mental health and physical health is in a good spot for us because it can be very draining to feel stuck at home through this whole year.”
